JP3301686B2 - Power generation and storage device for space equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power generation and storage device for space equipment used for space equipment such as artificial satellites.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a power generation / power storage device for space equipment, for example, the one shown in FIG. 2 is known. The power generation and storage device is mainly a water electrolysis device (hereinafter, SPE: Solid).
Polymer Electrolysis 21 and a fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as SPFC: Solid Polymer Fuel Cell) 22
It is composed of SPE21 or SPFC22
Is composed of a solid electrolyte membrane 23 and power feeders (not shown) arranged on both sides of the solid electrolyte membrane. In addition to the SPE and the SPFC, a water tank 24 for supplying water to the SPE 21, a hydrogen tank 25 for storing hydrogen generated by the SPE 21, an oxygen tank 26 for storing oxygen generated by the SPE 21, A steam-water separator 27 that separates undecomposed water contained in the water
Steam-water separator 27 that separates water vapor and water droplets generated inside
And

Next, the operation of the power generation / power storage device having the configuration shown in FIG. 2 will be described. When water is supplied from the water tank 24 to the SPE 21 and electricity is conducted to the solid electrolyte membrane 23 and the power supply, hydrogen and oxygen are generated. Since these hydrogen and oxygen contain water vapor and water droplets, the water is removed by the steam separator 27 and supplied to the SPFC 22. Further, since the excess hydrogen that cannot be consumed by the SPFC 22 also contains the excess oxygen and water vapor, the water is separated by the steam separator 27 and then stored in the hydrogen tank 25 or the oxygen tank 26.

[0004]

By the way, in the prior art, the SPFC 22 is kept warm as a whole, and water is separated by a steam-water separator 27 provided separately. For this reason, many steam-water separators 27 are required, so that the number of pumps and pipes increases, and the apparatus becomes complicated and large.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an external power supply is provided on the hydrogen and oxygen supply side to the fuel cell.
By providing a condensing part for condensing water vapor cooled to a low temperature by a warm part in contact with the fuel cell, the condensing part which is a part of the fuel cell is replaced with a part which has conventionally been subjected to water separation by a steam separator. It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and compact power generation and storage device for space equipment that can separate water.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a power generation and storage device for space equipment having a fuel cell comprising a solid electrolyte membrane and electrodes sandwiching the solid electrolyte membrane, and a water electrolysis apparatus. On the supply side of hydrogen and oxygen to the battery,
A power generation / storage device for space equipment, wherein a condensing part for condensing water vapor cooled to a low temperature by an external low temperature part is provided in contact with the fuel cell.

In the present invention, water is separated by a low-temperature condenser in contact with the fuel cell, and the separated water moves through a condensed water flow path such as a wick such as a wire net or a narrow groove by surface hearing, and is stored in a water tank. . As described above, since water is separated by the condenser that separates steam and water in one place, the number of necessary pumps and pipes is reduced, and the apparatus becomes compact.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 1 in the figure is a water electrolysis device (hereinafter, referred to as a water electrolysis device).
Reference numeral 2 denotes a fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as SPE).
PFC). The SPE1 and SPFC2 are:
Each is composed of a solid electrolyte membrane 3 and feeders 4 arranged on both sides of the solid electrolyte membrane 3. The SPE1 or SPF
C2 is housed in an integral casing, and a water condensing part 5 is provided on the gas inlet side of SPFC2. In addition, the S
Near PE1 and SPFC2, in addition to these, SPE1
A hydrogen tank 6 for storing the hydrogen generated in the SPE 1, an oxygen tank 7 for storing the oxygen generated in the SPE 1, and a water tank 8 for supplying water to the SPE 1 are arranged.

Next, the operation of the power generating / storing device for a space device having the above configuration will be described. In other words, when storing electricity,
Power is supplied to the power supply (electrode) 4 of the SPE 1 to electrolyze water. The electrolyzed hydrogen and oxygen are respectively introduced into SPFC2. When more hydrogen and oxygen than used in the SPFC 2 are generated, excess hydrogen and oxygen are stored in the hydrogen tank 6 and the oxygen tank 7, respectively.

On the other hand, when power is generated, hydrogen and oxygen generated in the SPE 1 are supplied to the SPFC 2. At this time, water is generated, and the water is steam having a saturation pressure corresponding to the temperature of the SPFC 2 at that time. This water vapor becomes a resistance when hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the solid electrolyte membrane 3 and must be removed. Therefore, a structural part that becomes low temperature is provided in a part of the SPFC 2 to form a water vapor condensing part 5. The condensed water flows through a flow path using a wick such as a wire mesh, is stored in a water tank 8, and is supplied to the SPE 1 as water for electrolysis.

According to the power generation / storage device for space equipment according to the above embodiment, since the water condensing section 5 is provided on the gas inlet side of the SPFC 2, the water is separated by the condenser 5. The separated water moves through a condensed water flow path such as a wick such as a wire net or a narrow groove due to surface tension , and the water tank 8
Stored in. As described above, since water is separated by the condenser for separating water and water in one place, the number of necessary pumps and pipes is reduced, and the apparatus becomes compact.

[0012]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the condensation of water vapor cooled to a low temperature by an external low-temperature portion is provided on the supply side of hydrogen and oxygen to the fuel cell. By providing the unit in contact with the fuel cell, water that has been conventionally separated by a gas-water separator can be separated by the condensing unit that is a part of the fuel cell. A power generation / power storage device for equipment can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a space power generation and storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional space power generation / power storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Water splitting device (SPE), 2: Fuel cell (SPF)
C), 3 ... solid electrolyte membrane, 4 ... power supply,
5: Condensing section, 6: Hydrogen tank, 7: Oxygen tank, 8: Water tank

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A hydrogen and oxygen supply to a fuel cell in a power generation and storage device for space equipment having a fuel cell including a solid electrolyte membrane and electrodes sandwiching the solid electrolyte membrane, and a water electrolysis apparatus. A power generation / storage device for a space appliance, wherein a condensing section for condensing water vapor cooled to a low temperature by an external low temperature section is provided in contact with the fuel cell.